If you have something important to say but just don’t know how to say it, you need a ghostwriter.
Maybe you’ve got lots of great ideas but haven’t put anything in writing. Maybe you’ve created a basic outline or some abbreviated ideas. Or maybe you have rough text that you know isn’t even close to being ready for prime time. In all those cases (and just about everything in between), a ghostwriter takes what you have and hands you back a polished piece.
A ghostwriter, simply, is hired to write something—a book, autobiography, memoir, article, speech, blog, business brief, ad copy, or whatever—for someone else. The ghostwriter takes money for the work but takes none of the credit for it. Most of the time, that is. (I’ll talk about exceptions in a minute.) It’s the quintessential “work for hire” agreement.
And it’s more common than you might think.
Why Hire Me as a Ghostwriter?
You’ve put something together, but writing isn’t your native talent. Even if your mom says it’s the best thing she’s ever read, you know it’s not.
- You’ve got a rough draft, but you know it needs to be radically revised. (An edit merely fixes spelling, grammar, and punctuation; a ghostwrite usually creates additional material, shifts material around, reorganizes, and so on.)
- You’ve got some killer talents in your area of expertise, but you really can’t write at all.
- You have lots of good ideas but don’t know where to start or how to make it happen.
- You don’t have time to write because you’re too busy doing what you do best.
- You simply don’t like to write. You’d rather have a root canal.
What It Will Cost
It’s impossible to provide a set price for a ghostwrite because there are so many variables. I generally charge $50 to $150 per hour; this is a case where you and I will need to look at the product you want, how much you’ve already put into it, how much work I’ll need to do, and what I’ll need to invest in terms of research and actual writing. Shorter pieces are much less, of course; a ghostwritten book could range anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000. I will always give you a specific bid and a detailed contract before we agree to move ahead.
Now for the Exceptions
Remember how I said the ghostwriter takes none of the credit? Well, that’s usually true. Sometimes, though, the following happens—and it all depends on what you want:
- The ghostwriter is given a nod in the dedication or acknowledgments.
- The ghostwriter is listed as a contributor—an example would be By Oprah Winfrey with Kathryn Jenkins or By Oprah Winfrey as told to Kathryn Jenkins.
- The ghostwriter is listed right on the cover as a coauthor—an example would be By Oprah Winfrey and Kathryn Jenkins.
I’ve Done This—a Lot
In fact, I’ve been doing it for 42 years. Below are a couple of examples of books I’ve ghostwritten.
If you have questions or are ready to get started, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
